A gas turbine engine generally includes a fan and a core arranged in flow communication with one another. Additionally, the core of the gas turbine engine generally includes, in serial flow order, a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. In operation, air is provided from the fan to an inlet of the compressor section where one or more axial compressors progressively compress the air until it reaches the combustion section. Fuel is mixed with the compressed air and burned within the combustion section to provide combustion gases. The combustion gases are routed from the combustion section to the turbine section. The flow of combustion gasses through the turbine section drives the turbine section and is then routed through the exhaust section, e.g., to atmosphere.
The fan includes a plurality of fan blades rotatable by the core. During extreme events, sometimes referred to as a “fan blade out event”, a fan blade of the plurality fan blades may detach during operation causing a severe mechanical failure of the gas turbine engine. Subsequent to such an event, the gas turbine engine is inoperable. However, upon detection of a flame within the combustion section having extinguished, current control systems for gas turbine engines typically attempt to relight or reignite. Such may create a hazard.
Hardware fixes to the above issue can be complicated and prohibitively expensive. Accordingly, a system or method for preventing the control system of a gas turbine engine from attempting to relight or reignite following a severe mechanical failure of the gas turbine engine would be useful. More specifically, such a system or method addressing the above issue without adding significantly to a cost or weight of the gas turbine engine would be particularly beneficial.